Police raids 'take medicine' from severely ill kids

FAMILIES are having to ration their sick and dying children's medicine after a police raid on a South Australian marijuana producer's home yesterday cut off supply of medicinal marijuana oil to more than 150 Australians.

Medicinal marijuana advocate Rebecca Bridson said at least four severely ill children on the Coast have been left with barely enough medicine to see out the week, including one eight-year-old girl suffering uncontrollable seizures and a ten-year-old with brain cancer.

"Without the cannabis (oil), they will decline or die," she said.

"Every time they do this, we have to find more medicine to save people's lives."

AMNESTY PLEA: Due to a complex nuerological disorder, eight-year-old Suli has regressed to the equivalency of a one-month-old infant. Without marijuana oil, she could have up to 150 seizures per day.Contributed

South Australian police confirmed they had confiscated chemicals from a 44-year-old Adelaide woman's home yesterday and reported her for drug-related offences.

Ms Bridson said the woman had been supplying oil to families free of charge.

"She lives alone, she looks after animals - where is the victim?" she said.

With medicinal marijuana due to be legalised for approved cases in March, the Buderim-based advocate said it's absurd that authorities were still cracking down on the distribution of marijuana oil.

Reader poll

Were police right to raid the home of a SA woman producing medical marijuana?

This poll ended on 12 January 2017.

Current Results

Yes, she was breaking the law

3%

Legally yes, but she was doing nothing wrong

12%

No, medical marijuana saves lives

84%

This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate.

"Every single time the government mentions cannabis, they keep saying they're going to make it legal, but these people can't wait," she said.

"What do you say to a parent whose child has brain cancer and comes to you for help, do you say 'no'?

"How can we say 'no' to these kids when we're saving lives?"

AMNESTY PLEA: 8-year-old Suli is terminally ill. Her father is petitioning the State Government to grant him amnesty to administer medicinal cannabis to her when she is in hospital.Facebook

South Australia adopted Commonwealth legislation in November 2016 re-classing certain marijuana products to the same level as morphine, however, it remains strictly controlled and only those with prescriptions can access products such as marijuana oil from a liscensed medical practitioner.